Lightsaber Dueling Is Now Recognized As a Competitive Sport in France.

If you live in France You can now convert your love of lightsabers into the world of competitive sports.

The French Fencing Federation that oversees Olympic level swordplay with foils, epees and sabres has added George Lucas’ laser sword to its cache of recognized weapons for competition,

The decision was made in an attempt to compete for the attention of young people who are otherwise glued their phones or video games.

”With young people today, it’s a real public health issue,” federation secretary general Serge Aubailly told AP. “They don’t do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs. It’s becoming difficult to (persuade them to) do a sport that has no connection with getting out of the sofa and playing with one’s thumbs.”

“We are looking to lure youth who exercise with their thumbs”

The physicality of lightsaber combat is part of why the French Fencing Federation threw its support behind the sport and is now equipping fencing clubs with lightsabers and training would-be lightsaber instructors. Like virtuous Jedi knights, the French federation sees itself as combating a Dark Side: The sedentary habits of 21st-century life that are sickening ever-growing numbers of adults and kids.